The Unwanted Pile
by Caroline Inspired Me To Drum
Summary: Archie loves his daughter, he want's what's best. Ronnie watches her daughter lie in her cot waiting for the inevitable. Will Archie's sweet little Veronica ever see her daughter again?
1. The Past, Present, Do We Have A Future?

**Miss Veronica Mitchell – aged 14**

_**When the tears fall away  
And there's no conversation  
There's nothing left to break  
That's not already broken  
You're staring into space  
And every inch of silence  
Been standing here for days, and days**_

Ronnie lay silently upon her hospital bed. Eighteen hours of agonising labour, but it had all been worth it. Her beautiful baby girl was lying in a cot beside her mother.

Tears crept down the mother's face, portraying her pain, her hurt, her anger towards the people that had decided to take her life into their own hands. Archie sat adjacent to his daughter's hospital bed, stroking her soft blonde hair. To him, her tears represented his power, his love for his daughter. She was too young to understand, but one day, she would thank him. The day she realised she was a successful young woman, the day she figured that with a child, none of this would have been possible.

_**Said it all  
Nothing to say at all  
Nothing to say that matters  
Haven't we heard enough?**_

What could she do? Whatever she did, he wasn't going to change his mind. It didn't matter that this was her baby, her life…their life. No, to him, this was just an inconvenience. He expected gratitude for 'sorting' it for her. Everything she could throw at him, she had. He had threatened to kick her out of the house if she didn't sign the adoption papers.

"Is that what you want Veronica? For you and this baby to be homeless? You'll be giving it a great start won't you? Now stop being so selfish and think about the life this baby can have with loving parents!" He spat at her, convincing the vulnerable girl that this was the right thing to do. Explaining how her hormones would settle so that life could return to normal, encouraging her to believe that she would forget in time, that the baby would be better off away from her.

**Miss Danielle Jones – aged 19 –**

_**Said it all  
Nothing to say at all  
Nothing to say that matters  
Doesn't matter any more**_

_**In the sudden light of day  
The weight of expectation  
Hurt begins to fade  
As you find a new direction  
Been talking here for days and days and days**_

It was done. Ronnie was right, she didn't want Danielle. Fine! She's not mother material, just a machine. No heart, no emotions. She just gets on with things like a computer - unnatural…

_**Said it all  
Nothing to say at all  
Nothing to say that matters  
Haven't we heard enough?**_

Lies, enough of his lies! She had to find Danielle, explain that she believed her. She wasn't crazy, delusional, or a freak. She was the answer to Ronnie's dreams, those little feet…

_**Said it all  
Nothing to say at all  
Nothing to say that matters**_

_**Doesn't matter any more**_

Danielle took her seat on the train. It didn't matter anymore. She was nobody. Thrown out amongst the trash, worthless, stupid little girl. To think she was once inside such a spiteful heartless bitch.

_**All of the miles of words we've spoken  
All of the lines that got away  
Didn't we take the time to say them all?**_

Ronnie watched the speedometer pass the 120 mark on her motorbike. She initiated a right indication, glanced in her mirror and swung into the right lane of the motorway. Her fingers clenched tightly around the handle bar, she twisted her wrist back and heard the engine roar. The clod air seeped through her helmet, stinging her eyes as the tears were blown away. _130mph…140mph…165 mph_

All those horrible words she said to Danielle. Why? She didn't even mean most of them. She had made the girl feel so small, so scared. The way Ronnie had felt whilst she lay in hospital with the strands of her hair being caressed by that man…

_**All of the miles of words we've spoken  
All of the lines that got away  
Didn't we take the time to say them all?**_

Danielle had tried everything. The nice approach, the cold approach, even yelled at Ronnie. Nothing worked. She was programmed to be emotionless; missing the vital ingredient present in every mother. Danielle now saw her adoption as a blessing. Sure, she wanted Ronnie to be there in her life, to give her that sense of rightness, the fact that there was a daughter with her mother. Danielle had never had that in her existence. People always saw her and Lizzie differently. 'There's Lizzie Jones with her adopted daughter.' A word which stabbed at her heart, telling her over and over again, that someone out there hated her from the very beginning. Reminding her that this wasn't natural, that she owed someone something, a thank you for picking her up from the unwanted pile.

_**Said it all  
Nothing to say at all  
Nothing to say that matters  
Haven't we heard enough?**_

_**Said it all  
Nothing to say at all  
Nothing to say that matters  
Haven't we said it all?**_

Danielle found the exit of the tube station. Hopefully there would be a taxi around.

"I've told you before Danielle, those trains of yours are no match for my bike." Ronnie smiled, approached Danielle, who was struggling with her luggage.

Ronnie had arrived half an hour ago. Waiting was the hardest part, but it gave her time to think about how she would explain.

"Get away from me, I might be contagious you know!" Danielle glared at Ronnie, daring her to come closer. The girl was determined not to let any tears fall. Her mother didn't deserve them.

"Please, I'm so sorry, please Danielle, I can explain…"

"You can? Oh, well that's great. Lemme put my life on hold, just so Ronnie Mitchell can explain." Sarcasm occupied the majority of her tone. "So what?! What makes you think I want to hear your explanation? Am I not allowed to decide for myself? No, 'coz I'm just a piece of shit your life managed to get caught in ain't it! I don't have a choice do I? It's always what Ronnie wants! " She was attracting masses of attention as she marched away best she could with her burdening bags, but she didn't care.

Danielle's words only emphasized the thoughts in Ronnie's mind. The pain, the hurt, she was just like her father at his age. Always in the driving seat, not only in her life, but her baby's too…

"I've said it all Ronnie, nothing left to say to you."

Ronnie watched as the baby who once lay in her arms now stormed out of the tube station. The damage would never be fixed, but Ronnie would have to be shot before she was going to stop begging for Danielle's forgiveness.


	2. MidnightWalksAround Telford? I Will Beg

**A/N: Decided to carry this on. Does anyone think this was a bad idea??**

**(Lyrics by Andrea Corr. Song: 24 Hours)**

Ronnie stood still as Danielle's figure became smaller and smaller. It was past nine, the street lights failing to comfort Ronnie at the thought of leaving Danielle all alone in the dark. She lifted her feet and jogged up to the distant figure.

"Do you want me to beg? I wouldn't blame you, here look, I'll beg." Ronnie stepped in front of Danielle and fell to the ground. A sharp twinge was felt at her knee, only adding to the pain which these fresh tears represented. Her cheeks were smeared with mascara, her hair messy from the journey and her eyes were filled with red sadness. She folded her hands and raised them out to Danielle's body, "Please two minuets…"

Danielle backed away slightly. Her face showed only a fraction of her shock. She had never seen Ronnie in such a state. Was this some sort of joke? It was obvious Ronnie had distinguished the truth from the lies, insisting on causing a scene.

Danielle hissed at Ronnie, still taken-aback as she now become the hunted. "Ronnie, get up for god's sake!" Danielle grabbed the two arms in front of her and dragged Ronnie to her feet. She couldn't believe the embarrassment this woman was causing, how she couldn't help but add to the pain, denying her everything she had ever asked of her, including closure.

"What do you want from me? Whatever I do, it'll never be enough. Even after I leave your life, you want revenge for something I had no control over. But don't worry Ronnie, you made it perfectly clear where I should go. So are you satisfied? You're probably right, now one wants me here either, you happy now? Does it make you feel good about yourself eh?" Danielle threw her rucksack over her shoulder and started to walk away. She wasn't sure whether she was more grateful or surprised that Ronnie hadn't retaliated.

***************

The fresh air, varied surroundings and quiet streets didn't help in murdering the vivid images of Ronnie flashing in Danielle's mind. The truth was, she had no where to go. Why she came back to Telford was unknown, but at the time it seemed the only place she could still relate to. She carried on walking into the night, turning into random streets at random times. Occasionally swapping the shoulder on which she carried her heavy bags, Danielle soon found her feet beginning to ache. She approached a nearby park, dropped her bags and sat down onto a swing.

Ronnie had been following Danielle for the best part of an hour. Clear was the pain she had inflicted, but all she wanted to do was be with her daughter. For now, seeing her from a distance would have to do. Ronnie knew she had no right to satisfy her cravings in this way. Countless times Ronnie had told people - told Danielle - to go away and leave her alone, and if those people ignored her overly abrupt if not rude tone, there would be hell to pay. Yet Ronnie found herself hiding behind a wall, watching her daughter gently swing even after she had been told to leave. All those times Danielle had ignored Ronnie's request to be gone, all the disgusting words Ronnie had spat out in return, it was now Ronnie's turn to feel the very hold Danielle must have once felt…still felt.

_**I see your eyes remember,  
You know this song**_

Danielle was trying her best to collect her thoughts. Why had Ronnie followed her? Was it to rub it in? To drum-in the fact she was a complete failure, to prove she was right and Danielle really did have no where to go. After all, she couldn't go home, she was no longer welcome, and Walford was defiantly not an option.

She looked around, this place seemed familiar. She used to play here as a child with her mother. If Danielle closed her eyes, she could almost feel the gentle pushing of the swing from behind; hear the birds chirping away along with children's laughter. She could smell her mother's perfume in the air as the wind sent her scent around the world.

_**  
And I try to see your picture  
But that's your song with somebody else**_

Ronnie watched as Danielle sobbed into her hands. She could make out the word 'mum' being mimed by the teen. It hurt Ronnie to see how her daughter pined after a motherly figure which was far from the one Ronnie had been. It should be her, sitting there feeling the pain that now pulsed through Danielle's heart. She couldn't just stand here watching, although Danielle had made it crystal clear she wanted to be alone. It was funny how Ronnie suddenly feared doing anything to upset Danielle, to anger her, to push her away or for her to be doing the pushing. What wasn't funny was how easy it was for Ronnie to see a mirror image of the last seven months.

She made her way over to the park, repeating to herself that it was wrong to watch a young girl in such a state, in the middle of the night where anything could happen. Regardless of who it was, anyone in her shoes would approach this girl to make sure she was okay, to ensure she didn't attract the wrong attention, right? Deep down, Ronnie knew why she found herself approaching the same girl whom she had thrown out of her life hours ago.

_**You are mystery,  
Intrigue and regret  
And your eyes  
Grow all big and sad  
**_

Danielle was aware that Ronnie had taken the swing adjacent to her own. She tried her best to block out the thought of her mother now sitting beside her. It made it impossible to clear her head, figure out what she was going to do, where she was going to go. Before Ronnie found her in the park, she had been making plans for tonight, but now those plans had vanished as her brain demanded more time for other thoughts, thoughts of what she wanted, trying to guess what Ronnie wanted from her.

_**  
I'd stay awake all night for 24 hours of your love**_

Neither of the two could bring themselves to look at the other. Danielle wasn't prepared to feel the emotions which would be evoked, and Ronnie knew that the combination of guilt and love would cause her to physically throw up.

"I didn't know…" What could she possibly say to explain her vicious words? Why had she even said them? What had she meant at the time, who had she become?

_**  
I'd lead a simple life for 24 hours of your love**_

"I just wanted to get to know you before I told you. I knew you would be all different if you knew, I mean look at you now, as if you care!"

Danielle hauled her bag over her shoulder once again and went on into the dark night.

"Please Danielle…"Ronnie's voice was filled with desperation.

Danielle spun around and let her bag drop to her feet. "What do you want from me! I have nothing to give you! You never cared before, you'll have to find another way to rid your guilt if you have any, just please leave me alone…" She walked off out of the park, but she knew Ronnie was following her.

_**I'm not the only one that loves you  
Hey, everyone does**_

Ronnie's heart ached watching her little girl walk away. What had she done? She turned the most lovable heart into a sore, confused broken little girl. The ironic thing being that she would give anything to have the old Danielle back, the girl who begged her only hours ago.

_**  
You've got a map of your past  
Engraved on your face**_

Danielle stopped only as she passed her old primary school. 'Catterick Close, Telford, Shropshire.' She brushed her hand against the engraving. So many memories: happy, sad, painful, hopeful. All those dreams she had, the very ones which pulled her through her darkest hours, now shattered. Unwanted by her very creator, useless, weak…

_**  
But your strange heart  
Is the heart of a girl**_

If only Danielle gave her two minutes… It was so frustrating, wanting to say so much but being shut out, not given the time of day – or night in her case. If only she could get through to explain…

_**You're not comfortable,  
You're volatile**_

"Why do you keep following me? Have you not rubbed it in enough? I get it okay! What was it…?" She raised a finger to her chin and raised her head, pretending to be in deep thought for a few seconds, "ah… Pathetic freak, yeah, well that's what I am! There I said it, now why don't you go back to playing happy families!" She turned around and whispered so that Ronnie was straining to hear. "Just leave me alone…"

_**But you sleep like  
You've answered a prayer**_

"I thought you were dead okay. I'm sorry, look it's starting to rain, why don't we find somewhere to talk properly?" Her daughter was right in front her. Beautiful, innocent and everything she could ever want. How could she not have seen it before? How could she have been so selfish? Protecting herself from the outside world resulted in pushing away the ultimate prize. What kind of monster had she become? "Who would want a daughter like you?" How could she have said that to someone as perfect as Danielle? Her own child…

**_I'd stay awake all night for 24 hours of your love  
(24 hours of your love)_**

Danielle tried to block out memories of when she had asked Ronnie for the chance to speak. It was now Ronnie standing on foreign ground, not knowing her way around the very town Danielle had grown up in.

"Talk? Why do we have to talk when you want to talk eh? You never had the time of day! It doesn't matter that I'm your daughter Ronnie! The fact you think it okay to treat anyone in that way is horrific! Stacey was spot on! You Mitchell's look down your nose at everyone! I didn't deserve the time of day then, so what's changed now?" Danielle dragged herself across the street.

_**  
I'd promise black was white for 24 hours of your love  
(24 hours of your love)**_

Ronnie was quick on her feet, jogging to catch up with the young girl. New tears had formed. Danielle's outburst did nothing for herguilt.

"I love you!" Ronnie screamed into the empty street, relieved as Danielle froze on the middle of the road.

_**  
I'd believe wrong was right for 24 hours of your love  
(24 hours of your love)**_

Danielle spun around and marched up to Ronnie. For a second, she considered slapping the women's tear-streaked face. How dare she cry? Pretend that she cares; beg for the chance to talk, to reject Danielle all over again. Yet, her words were an eternity overdue. Danielle didn't want to take them to heart, they were lies, she didn't mean it, surely only out of desperation had she pulled on Danielle's heart-strings.

Danielle softened, "There's um…" She cleared her throat and hurriedly wiped her eyes, "There's a night café down the road…"

_**  
I'd lead a simple life for 24 hours of your love  
(24 hours of your love)**_

Ronnie desperately wanted to cut the tension. She was cold, tired, wet and in heels.

"For the truck drivers eh? Guess you guys have to live up to your name on the industry side…" Ignoring the feeble attempt, Danielle spun her body around, pulled the sides of her jacket closer together and walked away, leaving Ronnie to decide whether she was going to follow.

_**I'd stay awake all night for 24 hours of your love  
(24 hours of your love)**_

Ronnie trailed behind, battling it out to close the distance. She had convinced herself that it was to keep the girl safe. It was Dark, the teen was wet and distressed… she would have done the same for anyone, right?

_**  
I'd promise black was white for 24 hours of your love  
(24 hours of your love)  
I'd believe wrong was right for 24 hours of your love  
(24 hours of your love)  
I'd lead a simple life for 24 hours of your love  
(24 hours of your love)**_

A five minute walk concluded in Danielle barging into the café. It somewhat surprised her that Ronnie had followed. What had come over her? In all her time, she wouldn't dream of talking to someone like that, let-alone Veronica Mitchell.

The place hadn't changed much, although Danielle only vaguely remembered the place. There was a much nicer café closer to her home… Although her father had made it perfectly clear she couldn't call it that anymore. Why had she come back here? At the time it felt so right, the only other place she felt protected in.

"One coffee please," Danielle made her way over to a table for two.

The waitress looked from Danielle to Ronnie and then to Danielle again. Her face remained fixed in an almost grumpy composure, but registered the sudden tension present in the empty café.

Ronnie watched as Danielle took her seat. She didn't look up to even acknowledge her mother's presence, not until Ronnie spoke.

"uh… Make that two please." She smiled over to the pale, slightly chubby woman behind the counter, who in return huffed and put the kettle on.

'Stupid cow,' Ronnie thought to herself. A smile wouldn't go a miss. Working at the club, she had naturally picked up on how to treat customers. She wondered when she had last genuinely smiled to a random person, but soon found herself going back weeks, months…

Danielle looked back down to the patterned table cloth, "I'm leaving in ten minutes…" All she wanted was to be left alone. Giveing Ronnie what ever she wanted was the best way to get rid of her. This was basically the only thing she had learnt about Ronnie which turned out to be quiet useful. Although this time, she wouldn't be hanging on every word, nor trying to build a picture. It'd be easy to block out Ronnie's altered voice whilst all these thoughts and emotions floated around her mind. 'Where am I gonna stay tonight, would dad keep me on for a few nights, what does Ronnie want to throw at me now…'

Ironically, her mother had typically picked the worst time to bring on the water-works. The train journey for Danielle had been spent on convincing herself that this would be another new start for her. She had achieved her goals in finding her birth-mother. It hadn't worked out the way she wanted, but she knew there wasn't any guarantees. Nevertheless, it was over, after a lifetime of trying, she was still the unwanted…


	3. Coffee at Kathy's

**A/N: Hope you'll like this. Maybe Danielle is a little out of character here? I wanted to show that she's no longer worried about what others think o her. She's through with caring…**

Ronnie's thoughts were disturbed as a brown haired lady forcefully place two cups of coffee on either side of the table, nearly spilling the contents over Ronnie's leather jacket. Any other day and Ronnie would have been at her throat. It was rare of her not to snap at people at the best of times, she was trying her best to remain calm but with the day she had had today, this miserable cow was asking for it.

Danielle couldn't help but let a smile form at Ronnie's obvious annoyance. This faded instantaneously as she realised she could no longer run from the intimidating woman she longed to know.

"What I did is unforgivable Danielle," her voice lacked the volume it had always comprised; her puffy eyes no longer possessed the beady interrogating look. Instead, her softer face, smeared makeup and messy hair gave Danielle an insight into what she was going to miss out on. The ordinary Ronnie, the one who woke up in the morning without the make-up-held façade, someone who she could joke with, have a good girly gossip without the constant pecking need to impress.

How could she have gotten so ahead of herself? She constructed these dreams so long ago, fuelling the disappointment which would haunt her in the future. Who she had discovered was a monster that didn't do jokes. A woman who woke up every morning in a cave, only departing when she was sure that her mask was secured into place, forbidding herself to warm to anyone, to actually feel the life she lived. No, to Ronnie, life was something to get through, live for the sake of living.

"Was it? You always seem to be sure about what you're saying. Tell me, what part was unforgivable eh?"

Ronnie was relieved that Danielle was talking to her. Heck, she was ecstatic that the girl was giving her a chance.

"I thought you were out there to hurt me Danielle. 26 June 1989, The day my life was turned upside down." Ronnie watched Danielle shift a little. She slouched in her chair so that she could maintain eye-contact with her newly found daughter. "I was told I had to give my daughter away. My girl! He had no right to do this to me. It's all him Danielle. Remember what you said? He doesn't want us to be together!"

Danielle couldn't stand it anymore. "And you believed him!"

The waitress, sitting on a stool behind the counter, lowered her magazine to eye the outraged girl.

Danielle cleared her throat and looked back down to the table cloth, aware of the attention she had attracted. "You didn't want me…"

"I did, it's all I've ever wanted. It's the very reason I said all those things in the first place, please…" Ronnie was conscious of the fact that what she had just said could induce a greater anger within Danielle, so she was eager to explain.

Danielle looked up to Ronnie, waiting for her to continue. Ronnie was quick to plead, but when the time came, did she actually have anything to say?

"All those things I said… I couldn't stand anyone talking ill of someone that I loved so dearly and yet knew nothing about. She was a memory of two hours and twenty minutes. Then you came along, claiming to be someone I knew to be dead, the very person I would give anything to be with…"

"That's the thing Ronnie! You don't do love; you can't stand anyone else around you. The truth is you're just 100 percent selfish!" Danielle's voice had risen again, but she didn't care. She didn't have to be ashamed here. This was her soil; there was nothing Ronnie could do here. She was no longer afraid of angering anyone, or hurting anyone's feelings. No one gave a damn about her and Ronnie certainly didn't give a damn about anyone.

"My anger was at the fact I thought you were trying to hurt me in the worst possible way. I know how this will sound…" She looked down in fear, "I did it out of love…"

Danielle huffed and looked up to the ceiling. "God, you are unbelievable…

"I'll never forgive myself for the horrible things I said. I didn't know… I couldn't stand anyone hurting me through my daughter…through you."

"That doesn't change how you feel about me though does it? If you hated me when you threw me out, you must still hate me now. Why are you even here?" Danielle raised her hands to her head, rubbing her temples, wishing she could magically conjure all the answers.

"Now I know you were telling the truth. I'm forever grateful that you did. I mean, you could have just left me, denied me the most important thing in the world…"

"Oh don't start all that bullshit! I've not changed in the last four hours Ronnie! The truth is you've told me exactly what you think of me. Now I don't know why you suddenly want to apologise, hey maybe you do have a conscious, but I can't just forget…

The life changing news had defiantly transformed Ronnie. Her new self didn't feel anger growing for the girl, so she spoke softly "I don't expect you to. I just want you to understand why I said those things. Danielle, you have every right to be angry but this isn't like you…"

Danielle hastily rose to her feet, ignoring the waitress's coughing sounds. "Oh I'm sorry Ronnie. Do you want me to be the worried, nervous girl again eh? The one who actually used to care about what you thought of her? The thing is, whatever I do, I'll never be good enough… no one will!" Danielle couldn't help it. She began to cry –quiet loudly. Ronnie was on her feet, guiding Danielle back into her chair. She kneeled down in front of the young girl, raising her head attempting to make eye contact. She was about to speak but Danielle beat her to it. Ronnie tried to make out every word between the heavy sobs and muffled voice due to the hands disguising the face.

"You should be…" Danielle sniffled, "…should be yelling, hitting me, and telling me how stupid I am. I can't… I can't stand this hot 'n' cold routine of yours…"

Ronnie fought back her own tears, only just remembering the physical pain she had inflicted. "No sweetie, I promise no more. I'm so sorry, if I'd have known…" She stood up and wrapped herself into Danielle so tightly that the chair was slowly creeping backwards. Ronnie was not prepared to let her daughter slip away again.

"You are god's answer to all my prayers Danielle. It's true okay. All you have to do is let me be there for you, to make it up to you okay. Me and you, we can spend so much time together, get to know each other…

Danielle's sobbing became less frequent. Maybe Ronnie's opinion did matter after all, and to think all the horrible things Danielle had said tonight...

"You promise?" Her vulnerability shone through at the mere hope that her mother wanted her.

Ronnie inhaled deeply, breathing in Danielle's sweet shampoo and then sighing loudly. She pulled out of the hug and lifted Danielle's head. The girl's hair was scattered across her bright-red face. "I will never ever hurt you again, I love you too much."

Danielle corrected the mistake Ronnie had just made in pulling out of the hug. The need to feel her mother was overwhelming.

******

It had started like any other shift at the 'Truffles Café', but as the clock ticked on, the boredom set in as the numbers dropped. Working horrible hours at this café, it wasn't often you were permitted to witness such beauty. Kathy smiled as Ronnie paid for the coffees. Mother and daughter obviously loved each other and although present, the painful past remained unseen by the naked eye.

Ronnie took hold of Danielle's hand, "You ready Danielle?"

She nodded and let Ronnie lead her outside. "I'm sorry…"

Ronnie looked to her daughter's red, tear-streaked face before interrupting with a stern tone. "Don't you dare…"

The two ladies walked out of the door just as Kathy flipped the 'open' sign around. She watched the duo disappear into the night before softly whispering, "Come again…"

**A/N: Please review! :-D**


	4. Atchoo

**A/N: Sorry for the delay! BTW the tenses in the lyrics have been changed to make it more ****applicable **to the story. Please review, thanks.

"I'm sorry ma'am, that's all we have." An elderly woman flicked through the pages of an ancient looking diary.

Ronnie looked to Danielle, who looked tired, worried and determined not to return the gesture. "What do you wanna do Danielle?"

The shorter blonde responded by clearing her throat, wiping her eyes and looking up to the receptionist. "Um… sorry…" She successfully attracted the attention of the woman across the desk. "Would you know if Ms McMintish would be open at this hour?"

"Sorry love, her B'n'B closed down over a month ago. Dears, I really need to close up, do you want the room?"

Ronnie watched as Danielle weighed up her choices, "Would you mind?" She finally looked to Ronnie with more than a hint of fear in her eyes.

"Not at all, we'll take it." Ronnie smiled, patted Danielle's hand and followed the receptionist to their single bedroom, trying her best to destroy the fright she formed within the girl.

"I've got my camping gear in here so we should be okay…" Danielle whispered, taking her rucksack onto her shoulder. She somewhat felt she was betraying herself. Only hours ago had she promised herself how she would no longer pine over Ronnie or let her cause her anymore pain. What was she letting herself into with this? How were things going to play out, was she prepared to do this to herself?

Before she could ponder for too long, she followed Ronnie into a small, dark room. The first thing she noticed was the upper divisions of the walls. They were slapped with grimy, dull and cheap wallpaper. The lower partition was panelled with dark mahogany wood, the end of which seemed to be rotting. A single lamp hanging feebly from the ceiling was failing miserably at creating a contrast between the dark outside and bringing the rest of their overnight accommodation into comfortable view. The centre of the room was occupied by a king-sized bed, on which lay two mustard coloured towels. Ronnie's nose twitched at the invading scent of cheap air freshener in the air as she noticed the small bedside clock offending the uncomfortable silence repeatedly every second.

Danielle dropped her bag to the floor, remaining rigid in the corner she had inhabited since their arrival. She was relieved to see a grey armchair in the corner; at least she wouldn't be sleeping on this floor.

Ronnie couldn't tare her eyes away from the young lady, how her hair fell onto her face, how her cheeks coloured at certain parts, how her hands attempted to brush strands of hair out of her eyes, but most of all how her eyes hid a melancholy deep within, one which Ronnie knew she held most of the responsibility for.

"You can take the bed if you want, I'll be alright here," Danielle walked over to the chair and took a seat, burying her head into her hands as she sighed heavily.

Ronnie followed the girl with her eyes, unsure what to do or say. "Look it's huge, why don't we share it?" It was clear how Danielle's earlier confidence had faded. Maybe this meant she did care, just maybe she also thought they had a chance.

Danielle lifted her head running a hand through her hair, from which Ronnie concluded she had been to forward. "Okay, well…" She waited for the younger girl to react, to look at her, to just do something. Instead, the same girl remained hunched in a forward position, her eyes fixed at a spot on the floor with both hands tangled in her hair and over some of her face. "Okay why don't you take the bed, I'd prefer the chair to be honest."

Danielle lifted herself, adamant that her eyes should not meet any part of Ronnie's figure. She moved over to the bed and resumed her previous position with her hands consuming her face, turning it slightly as the bed sunk a little due to Ronnie's weight being applied to the end furthest from her daughter. Danielle smiled, but let it fade before she spoke. "This wasn't how it was meant to be."

Ronnie returned the smile, but Danielle's drained form only boosted Ronnie's need to grab hold of her girl and never let go.

"How did it come to this eh? I never imagined this…" Danielle faded off, keeping her eyes set on the pillow to Ronnie's side.

Ronnie felt a lump forming in her throat, "I'm sorry…" She swallowed hard, gulping as the lump got larger.

Her roommate nodded in acknowledgement. Ronnie had repeated the word countless times tonight, but for Danielle, it didn't ease the pain, wipe away her doubts or lessen her fear that Ronnie was waiting to pounce. Her mother's actions tonight had done one thing though. Danielle felt it becoming easier to just maybe consider breaking the promises she had made earlier. At the same time, she didn't want to be one of those people who thought 'what if…' She could imagine kicking herself a month or two down the line, asking the question, 'why didn't I just run? Run away from her when I had the chance?' She pondered on how she would think in the future if she had followed a different path, but soon understood whatever she did, there would always be the opening to think 'what if…?'

_**I've been alone with you inside my mind  
And in my dreams I've kissed your nose a thousand times  
I sometimes see you pass outside my door  
Hello, is it me you're looking for?  
**_

Danielle dabbed her eyes with a tissue, "I um…" She coughed quietly before looking down again, as if wanting Ronnie to discard the sentence.

The mother was not prepared to do so as she lowered her head and smiled,

"Go on, tell me." She smiled at her daughter's shyness, adamant that whatever Danielle said, anger was something she could never feel again for the girl seated before her.

In return, the girl looked up, displaying the widest grin seen all night on her tear-struck face. "No, it's stupid…" She looked to Ronnie who sat on the bed crossed-leg, still beaming in her direction, obviously not going to let it drop.

Danielle sighed, "I used to think about how I would find you, drive Stacey mad I did." She giggled at a distant memory; Ronnie frantically wanting to know what was going on in that mind of hers. "Every night, I used to walk the long way back home, just so I could pass your flat…" Danielle looked up to Ronnie, who surprisingly had a tear streaming down her cheek, washing away some of the dried mascara which previous cries had caused.

Ronnie wiped it away quickly. "I used to see you." She smiled as she shifted her eyes to meet Danielle's. "I know you won't believe me, but I felt drawn to you…"

Danielle grabbed another tissue as she broke eye contact with Ronnie's face and by doing so, created new tension in the room.

"I…" Ronnie dropped her gaze to the floor, "It angered me Danielle. I didn't like the fact I'd taken to you," she noticed Danielle move slightly, resulting in the distance between the two lodgers increasing. Ronnie softened her voice further, unintentionally lowering her volume. "I just wish I hadn't taken that anger out on you. Daughter or not, it wasn't your fault, it was mine and I accept that." She looked up and noticed her daughter staring right back at her. The upset within her eyes pushed Ronnie to continue, to explain her rage. "I couldn't do with being too attached to another person, to be ready for them to explore my life, let them hear about my happy times, my bad ones…" her eyes narrowed as she thought for a moment, "… my father did it to me once and I swore it wouldn't happen ever again."

_**  
I can see it in your eyes  
I can see it in your smile  
You're all I've ever wanted, (and) my arms are open wide **_

"For some reason I couldn't keep you out. We just kept meeting, every time I tired to forget and you popped up from nowhere." Ronnie was in deep concentration, reliving her feelings, wanting to revive her thoughts at the time as if they would justify her actions.

Danielle felt a little hurt at the comment, but the modest addition to the massive mountain of pain seemed negligible.

"At the wedding, I thought it was happening all over again. I felt you were trying to hurt me, punish me for giving away my baby, punching my heart as you explored my weaknesses." Ronnie looked up, this time not taking the time to wipe her tears as her hands had something more important to do: She took Danielle's in her own, pleased at the acceptance. "Thank you. They do say blessings come disguised," she whispered just as Danielle decided to reclaim her hand.

"I used to watch you from my window." Danielle's eyes shot up, her face dropped and she started to tremble, "I wasn't spying or anything, it's just…" Again Danielle thought it best her words went unspoken until Ronnie persisted. "You used to tap all your milk bottles before you took them in," Danielle grinned at the recollection, shifting her eyes to the duvet as she started picking on the loose strands. "Mum used to do the same, but she never told me why…"

Ronnie didn't know what to say. Danielle had mentioned her mother before, but now it seemed different. She didn't want to hear about Danielle's mother as it pained her to consider all the things she had missed out in her girl's life and yet, she craved to hear about Danielle's past. Everything seemed so unreal right now and she wanted to take notice of every single detail before she woke up and this surreal dream ended. Ronnie's eyes began to well up; she sniffed causing Danielle to look her way. It was amazing how she managed to talk with such a broken and squeaky voice. "I can't believe it…" Ronnie started crying heavily, making the younger woman feel very uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry to disappoint…" Danielle was abruptly interrupted.

"Never! You're all I've ever wanted, every single day of my life…"

Danielle had never seen the almighty Veronica in such a state. Then again, she was the daughter of Archie; a despiteful, evil – and according to Ronnie – a complete control freak. Such a good actor… "So much has happened; I don't know what I want anymore." The girl's voice was soft and quiet.

Ronnie couldn't expect everything to be perfect like she had dreamt. "You have to listen to your heart Danielle; the past won't have changed what's their. I know exactly what I want."

_**  
'Cause you know just what to say  
And you know just what to do **_

Danielle looked into her mother's eyes. 'She truly is Archie's daughter,' she thought. This was it, make or break after seven eye-opening months. One more question, she only hoped she was given a truthful answer "What's that then?"

Ronnie couldn't help but smile, "I want to spend the rest of my days with you."

The smile was returned, albeit a little reluctantly.

"You can't just say soppy lines like that Ronnie, you've said so many things to me, things that came straight from your heart…" The teen wiped her eyes again, determined not to let tears fall.

"Yes I can, I know I've done some terrible things, I wanted to drive you away Danielle, but that doesn't change what I'm feeling right now. I know I can't make you believe me, but it's their," she lifted her hand to her chest. "It's never left me, I promise you. If you want, you and I can spend so much time together. The time of our lives…"

_**  
And I want to tell you so much, I love you... **_

_**  
…**_but she couldn't. Danielle took Ronnie's advice. She tried to think of what she truly wanted, but her thoughts, wishes and dreams were all rolled into one. There wasn't one clear answer that would enchantingly fix everything.

"How can you say that? I've come here and dropped this on you, how can you be so sure?" Danielle gave a questioning look to her mother, who in return sat shaking her head gently.

_**I long to see the sunlight in your hair  
And tell you time and time again how much I care  
Sometimes I feel my heart will overflow  
Hello, I've just got to let you know **_

"Because it's been here for the last twenty years. I dreamt up scenarios as well Danielle," Ronnie took Danielle's soft, warm palm again; wishing this time it would reside there for a while longer. "I just want to be with you…" She started crying, unwillingly removing her hand to wipe her eyes. "There must have been a reason for you to come find me. Remember that please." She was past pleading._  
__**  
'Cause I wonder where you are  
And I wonder what you do  
Are you somewhere feeling lonely, or is someone loving you?  
**_

An hour later, Danielle sat closer to Ronnie, telling her stories about her childhood.

"Mum always told me I was special, but I guess it's just mums you know?"

Ronnie was listening intently, not making a sound in-case she missed something. "She was right though." She and Danielle were laying side-by-side on the bed, fully dressed and heads propped up against the head-rest.

'Who would want a daughter like you?' The words replayed in Danielle's mind. They claimed something different, something as far from special as possible. It was almost like Ronnie felt obliged to be here…

_**Tell me how to win your heart  
For I haven't got a clue  
But let me start by saying, I love you ...  
**_

Would it be all too soon to hold her girl and utter the words she longed to declare?

_  
__**Hello, is it me you're looking for?**_

Danielle turned her body to face Ronnie. "Do you really think this can work?" For whatever reasons, Ronnie was determined to give it a shot, but who was most likely to get hurt in all of this. Danielle really did have nothing…

"It will, 'coz you're my girl, I'll make it…" Determination filled Danielle's ears.

That was the confirmation she was looking for; her mother willing to make an effort into correcting her wrongs. Whether Danielle was making the right decision, she was unconfident, but she had found what Ronnie had meant. The one thing in her mind that she was completely sure about: If she turned her back now, she would never forgive herself.

Although her heart still undecided.

_**  
'Cause I wonder where you are  
And I wonder what you do **_

"Maybe tomorrow you could show me around properly? You know, in daylight preferablyif that's okay with you?" She was relieved to see she had made her daughter giggle despite her fatigue. "I want to see where you grew up, where you lived…"

_**  
Were you somewhere feeling lonely or was someone loving you?  
Tell me how to win your heart **_

Another half hour, Ronnie sat up so she could see Danielle off to sleep whilst stroking her hair. If Danielle minded the action, she was too tired to stop Ronnie, so she continued.

Her daughter's eyes opened and then dropped every so often as she tried her best to stay awake.

_**  
For I haven't got a clue  
But let me start by saying ... I love you**_

Just as Ronnie was about to lie down, she arched over Danielle's resting body once more, now only inches seperating their faces, but still scared that she was about to awake from a blissful dream and have to loose her daughter all over again.

"I do love …" The lady, still in her leather jacket was interrupted by her sleeping beauty as she sneezed, spraying Ronnie's face. She then sniffed and returned to her peaceful slumber, a certain innocence across her visage, unaware of her unconscious sternutation.

Ronnie grabbed a tissue from the bedside, face dampened with drops, but knowing that if she needed the Kleenex for any further tears tonight, they would be happy and content ones.

**Long, constructive reviews welcome**


	5. King Bed For One

**A/N: Special thanks to 'Adia Rose' and 'Karen From Ireland' for your reviews, thanks to everyone who has reviewed. BTW Karen, my other fic is on the way, I promise….**

**Story's been slowed down here, I wanted to get this chapter in, hope people like it**

Ronnie had promised herself she would get some sleep. 'Just another minute, I'm just making sure she's okay…'

Something wasn't right tonight. Something was missing, preventing her from falling asleep. She wasn't allowed to muse over the thought for too long as her eyes gazed over Danielle's quiescent figure, which had now spread out in the shape of a star at an awkward angle so that her top half dominated the right side of the bed and her legs spread out to the left. Ronnie was just managing to keep her backside on the mattress, privileged not to have been kicked off as she stroked Danielle's hair.

_**I could stay awake just to hear you breathing  
Watch you smile while you are sleeping  
Far away and dreaming  
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender  
I could stay lost in this moment forever  
Well, every moment spent with you  
Is a moment I treasure**_

To think what she had considered doing when she had found out about her daughter's death. It seemed so easy then, a simple choice, and an easy escape, one which would allow her to find her baby. How could she have failed her daughter so miserably that she had died before her mother? A predicament completely preternatural, so wrong…

The world no longer mattered. The Earth a place she no longer wanted to be on with her loss of aspiration, nothing to look forward to, only an empty life to complete.

Something had held her back. Her girl wouldn't want her to leave like this, to end her life when the numbers of age considered it to be too soon. She couldn't let her father get the better of her, but then what did age matter? She knew her life was over…_  
__**  
I don't wanna close my eyes  
I don't wanna fall asleep  
'Cause I'd miss you, babe  
And I don't wanna miss a thing  
'Cause even when I dream of you  
The sweetest dream will never do  
I'd still miss you, babe  
And I don't wanna miss a thing**_

Danielle sighed in her sleep, her chest rising and falling in time with Ronnie's breathing. It was easy to see that elder was not the only one who put up a deceptive mask to the world.

Ronnie wondered why Danielle felt the need to be on the defence, obviously a stupid question when it came to tonight, but was she always like this? Did she feel vulnerable to the same pain Ronnie had been exposed to in her mid teens?

Right now, Danielle seemed so peaceful and safe in her sleep, not a care in the world, the shield expelled.

Ronnie let the tears fall as she recalled the hurtful months. The job interview, to finding Danielle squatting in Ian's flat, from the moment she told Danielle to leave before she returned from the shops, to when she found Danielle still their worried about cleaning the bathroom. Why hadn't she seen it then, her baby had been all so close…so far…

_**  
Lying close to you  
Feeling your heart beating  
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming**_

Ronnie smiled at Danielle as her lips curled slightly, obviously in a very happy place within dream land. At that specific moment, Ronnie pledged that from the moment the girl woke up, to the second she fell asleep and beyond, it would be her number one priority to ensure her happiness, security and well being. This was her beautiful little baby, twenty years on but still displaying the irreplaceable child like features through her sleep, just as Ronnie had witnessed after giving birth.

_**  
Wondering if it's me you're seeing  
Then I kiss your eyes and thank God we're together  
And I just wanna stay with you  
In this moment forever, forever and ever  
**_

Ronnie swept her hand over Danielle's cheek, moving down to under her chin and stroking her lips with her thumb. Then, little by little moving to her modest nose, the creases on her forehead and lastly to her right ear. She didn't want to wake Danielle up and raise suspicions with her necessitated actions.

_**  
I don't wanna close my eyes  
I don't wanna fall asleep  
'Cause I'd miss you, babe  
And I don't wanna miss a thing  
'Cause even when I dream of you  
The sweetest dream will never do  
I'd still miss you, babe  
And I don't wanna miss a thing**_

The mother didn't dare close her eyes. She wouldn't have been able to sleep even if she had wanted to. The tiny little baby with those chubby cheeks and undersized fingers; here she was, a young woman, but still her little one. Not only has she been found, she had become the founder. The number one dream had been energised.

When Amy's death had been acknowledged, Ronnie started believing in the afterlife, even spending hours on researching the possibility of finding her offspring after death.

But now the opportunity to spend a lifetime with the very girl was irreplaceable, no longer a mere memory of a couple of hours._  
__**  
I don't wanna miss one smile  
I don't wanna miss one kiss  
Well, I just wanna be with you  
Right here with you, just like this  
I just wanna hold you close  
Feel your heart so close to mine  
And stay here in this moment  
For all the rest of time**_

That was it, the imperfect entity tonight! The visions which routinely filled her mind as the frenetic activities of the day came to an end hadn't been entertained tonight. The images she pondered over like a film rolling in her mind, a formulated insight into the life of her daughter. Tonight, they hadn't come to haunt her; it was like the film had come to life, mother-nature displaying her version of events in the form of Danielle. The daily thoughts of her daughter, her subconscious prayers for the girl's welfare –alive or not- they were no longer badgering her. The pain had been softened; tonight it felt all so surreal. It was like she was having an out of body experience, watching her outer chassis caressing her baby's face. She wasn't allowed to do this, it wasn't her. This was a tease, a reminder of what she could never have.  
_**  
Don't wanna close my eyes  
Don't wanna fall asleep  
'Cause I'd miss you, babe  
And I don't wanna miss a thing  
'Cause even when I dream of you  
The sweetest dream will never do  
'Cause I'd still miss you, babe  
And I don't wanna miss a thing  
**_

And yet here she was, no longer repeating the same questions to herself about where, what, how…Instead new questions, dreams about the future, what she would see tomorrow, the day after tomorrow and the day after that. The idea of learning about her daughter, the opportunities to make up for lifetime of absence was not to be taken lightly.

_**  
I don't wanna close my eyes  
I don't wanna fall asleep  
'Cause I'd miss you, babe  
And I don't wanna miss a thing  
'Cause even when I dream of you  
The sweetest dream will never do  
I'd still miss you, babe  
And I don't wanna miss a thing  
**_

Ronnie grudgingly lifted herself from the bed, careful not to disturb Danielle. She would prove that she wasn't selfish, that she could love. One thing she had been wrong about tonight, that bed surprisingly was not big enough for the both of them. She sighed and moved over to the chair, only now fully realising how tired her body was as her legs cramped up.

Her eyes began to drop as she thought about the horrible things which would prove difficult to erase from Danielle's head. Well, that was impossible, but was it possible to cure pain by coating in love?

_**  
Don't wanna close my eyes**_

_**Don't wanna fall asleep, yeah  
I don't wanna miss a thing**_

The clock ticked on, unaware and unaffected by its surroundings. The room was currently quiet, almost cold without the presence of conscious life.

Danielle rolled over in her sleep, mumbling to herself as she impulsively swept her hand over her face to disturb the hair which had taken to it.

"Maybe…" She whispered, groaning slightly. The word went unheard due to the lack of attentive life in the room, the meaning and reason for saying probably unknown by the announcer herself.

**A/N: Long, constructive reviews welcome**

**Thanks :-D**


	6. Your Word Is Vital

Danielle could feel the side of her face warming as the sun shone through the diaphanous curtains. She tossed her body around, fighting with the duvet to remain over her body, cuddling her and keeping her warm. Memories of the previous night played back in her head, causing her eyes to shoot open. The messy haired, panda eyed teen sat up, looking around the room. The first thing she noticed was the mess she'd made of the bed. The majority of the duvet was sprawled across the wooden floor, both sheets released from the bounding mattress. The towels which were folded neatly on the bad last night were now thought to have fallen. Her red eyes suddenly darted towards her right, met with an uncomfortable looking Ronnie staring right back at her. For the first time in a while, Ronnie's eyes seemed painfully dry, as if she had remained awake for most of the night.

"Morning," Ronnie whispered. Her voice was groggy but she smiled.

Danielle's mind played the wedding reception back to her. She looked to Ronnie, trying to make out what she was thinking. Her smile faded as she spoke. "Why didn't you take the bed?"

"I didn't want to wake you." Ronnie lifted herself and let her jacket unwrap itself from her torso before it fell to the floor.

The silence allowed Danielle to revisit last night. She could hear herself pleading, begging for someone to believe her. The frustration of the truth being dragged away from a pub full of people had evoked so much anger last night; it was cooling to know that the facts had finally been revealed. For a moment then, even she'd been convinced she was deluded. Ronnie's face from last night seriously threatened to bring tears to Danielle's eyes; How her anger had encouraged her to throw her own daughter into the street, how Danielle's skin had been pierced, blood dripping away from her back. The angry image turned to one of revulsion, a disgusted looking Ronnie towering over her. 'Who would want a daughter like you anyway?'

These memories seemed so far away. Danielle guessed it was due to the late night she had yesterday. What seemed so unrelated was Ronnie's appeal for forgiveness. Those vivid memories inflamed trust in Ronnie. The burning sensation on her lower back was just a scratch, she felt that Ronnie's words were insignificant, but her actions had meant the world. She'd come looking for her, she'd dropped to her knees, followed her through the night. Danielle tried to think why she had spoken so abusively to that very woman last night; the wrath was surely to follow…

Ronnie looked to Danielle's clothes. They were torn, the yellow highlighting the mud and the white stained with blood. The enormous bed made her girl look so tiny, a little baby. Why would anyone throw her around? A little child, frightened and all alone, it sent Ronnie's heart wild, fierce rage terrorizing to almost engulf her. Why? Well, she should know…After all, they had been her actions!

Danielle truly wanted to believe Ronnie. Yet, a big part of her worried the elder only craved her forgiveness. Last night's fierce chase had been to clear her conscious, to pity the girl further maybe? "So… What now?" Danielle's voice forced Ronnie out of her self-rage.

_**When the daylight's gone and you're on your own  
And you need a friend just to be around  
I will comfort you, I will take your hand  
And I'll pull you through, I will understand  
**_

Ronnie smiled and moved over to the bed, mere inches away from her baby girl. "You give me the word and I swear on my life, I will never leave your side ever again." Ronnie swept her thumb over Danielle's cheek, wiping away an estranged tear.

Danielle grinned, "That's great but…" Danielle moved over to give Ronnie more space. "I was thinking more along the lines of breakfast and maybe a shower?"

***

_**And you know that  
I'll be at your side, there's no need to worry  
Together we'll survive through the haste and hurry  
I'll be at your side  
If you feel like you're alone, and you've nowhere to turn  
I'll be at your side**_

Ronnie adamantly held onto her girl's hand as they walked up and down the busy streets of Telford. Ronnie smiled as she took in every sight. Her contentment spread across her entire body, causing her and Danielle's arm to sway. The distance from yesterday was closed off; Ronnie knew this was how it was always meant to be.

_**If life's standing still and your soul's confused  
And you cannot find what road to choose  
If you make mistakes (make mistakes)  
You can't let me down (let me down)  
I will still believe (still believe)  
I will turn around**_

"This is where Gareth and I used to hide when mum wanted us to clean our rooms," Danielle reminisced. This was a delicate journey for her as much as it was for elder.

Ronnie reluctantly followed as Danielle started to walk away. "Were you happy here?"

Danielle hesitated, but answered simply, "I hadn't lived anywhere else so I guess so. I mean I was never in need of anything; Mum would've given me the world if she could have."

Ronnie stroked Danielle's hand with her thumb. Well at least one wish of Ronnie's had been heard.

"What about your father?" Andy had seemed such a nice guy when Ronnie had met him. She didn't voice this thought as it would call upon the past; something Ronnie wanted to avoid.

_**And you know that  
I'll be at your side, there's no need to worry  
Together we'll survive through the haste and hurry  
I'll be at your side  
If you feel like you're alone, and you've nowhere to turn  
I'll be at your side  
**_

"He was…is the best" Danielle hastily closed her eyes, willing them to dry. "He thinks I've forgotten about him, moving to London… He doesn't realise what it means to me, I mean moving away…"

"Does he know why you moved away?" All of a sudden being in Telford didn't seem such a good idea. If Andy found out how Danielle, his own daughter had been treated…Well Ronnie understood the concept greater than she approved, her stomach threatened to shoot at the very thought.

"No, but it doesn't matter. I've seen it in his eyes, he's discarded me. I'm not his little girl anymore; almost like he doesn't want me…like he's changed his mind…" Danielle cleared her throat and suddenly jogged away from the other blonde.

Ronnie watched on, unsure what Danielle had meant with her closing comment, there were no words of comfort she could rightfully offer.

"Look, this is where we used to buy ice-cream every Saturday. It must have closed down recently, I remember Gareth and I sat here the day I left."

Ronnie caught up, imagining a happy Danielle eating seated inside with her older brother.

_**I'll be at your side  
I'll be at your side**_

_**You know that**_

_**I'll be at your side, there's no need to worry  
Together we'll survive through the haste and hurry  
**_

It was a sunny day; spring was certainly around the corner. Ronnie was amazed at what a lovely place Telford was. Peaceful, quiet, and nothing like the busy London where people didn't seem to stop moving. Here you actually noticed the world around you, though given that Ronnie was vastly attentive today.

People passed Danielle and smiled, whether she knew them or not was unclear, but the residents seemed friendly.

_**I'll be at your side  
If you feel like you're alone, you've got somewhere to go,  
'Cos I'm right there  
I'll be at your side, I'll be right there for you  
(Together we'll survive) through the haste and hurry  
I'll be at your side  
If you feel like you're alone, you've got somewhere to go,  
'Cos I'm at your side  
**_

Danielle decided to guide her tourist to the best café in town.

"Danielle, do you want to visit your dad, tell him how you feel?" Ronnie was petrified of Danielle deciding not to come back to London, but according to a few months ago, her father loved her very much. She couldn't imagine a parent unaware of their children's whereabouts, if they were safe or not. A lifetime full of these questions devilishly lead to self-destruction, you just push everyone away.

"Like I should've with you?" Danielle stared at the rough looking blonde.

Ronnie bowed her head in shame, unable to look at Danielle in fear of bursting into tears. "I forgive you…" Danielle finished her tea, eyes remaining fixed on the lady opposite to her.

Ronnie hastily looked up. "What? Just like that?" She took Danielle's hand, which for a moment was going to withdraw, but it was like the warmth drugged her, melting away her nerves intentions. Ronnie knew exactly what Danielle was troubled about. It was inconceivable, almost disgusting. If only she could make the girl understand, everything she could dream of was set before her, exculpation was not what she was here for, nor expected. "You gave me your word Danielle; I'm in with you for the long road."

_**I'll be right there for you  
I'll be right there for you, yeah  
I'm right at your side**_


	7. A Responsible Mother?

Danielle decided to guide her tourist to the best café in town.

"Danielle, do you want to visit your dad, tell him how you feel?" Ronnie was petrified of Danielle deciding not to come back to London, but according to a few months ago, her father loved her very much. She couldn't imagine a parent unaware of their children's whereabouts, if they were safe or not. A lifetime full of these questions devilishly lead to self-destruction, you just push everyone away.

"Like I should've with you?" Danielle stared at the rough looking blonde.

Ronnie bowed her head in shame, unable to look at Danielle in fear of bursting into tears. "I forgive you…" Danielle finished her tea, eyes remaining fixed on the lady opposite to her.

Ronnie hastily looked up. "What? Just like that?" She took Danielle's hand, which for a moment was going to withdraw, but it was like the warmth drugged her, melting away her nerves intentions. Ronnie knew exactly what Danielle was troubled about. It was inconceivable, almost disgusting. If only she could make the girl understand, everything she could dream of was set before her, exculpation was not what she was here for, nor expected. "You gave me your word Danielle; I'm in with you for the long road."

_**I'll be right there for you  
I'll be right there for you, yeah  
I'm right at your side**_

***

"What are you saying? What is it you're looking for Ronnie? I mean, we need to be on the same wavelength here right? I can't just let you barge into my life like this, it's not fare."

Ronnie didn't dare lift her head. Instead, she sat nodding, brushing Danielle's hand with her thumb. The whole concept of her baby girl sat right in front of her was magical. With every year that had passed, Ronnie had imagined her baby growing up, imagined how her physical features had changed, the type of girl she had become. It was no shock to her to now have her baby as a young woman. She hadn't expected to find a baby, nor a… Well she hadn't expected much at all the past year, but having the most beautiful, perfect little thing before her eyes was overwhelming. "What I want Danielle, is to make up for the past. I want to live my dream of finding you, getting to know you; I want us to be together like it always should have been. I know my actions were unforgivable Danielle and I'll never deny that, but I want you to think back. I want you to try and remember those dreams you told me about of coming to find me, all the things you wanted me to do and say. You tell me them one by one. We can start all over again whenever you're ready okay? I've wanted you for so long baby, and I know how difficult that must be to understand, but it's true. I'm not expecting you to forget, but just give me a chance, from the beginning." She spoke so caringly, constantly fidgeting with Danielle's hand, craving any physical contact available. This was Danielle's hand; this was her baby's thumb, her finger nail. Ronnie wanted to take everything in, to feel Danielle close to her. Just holding her hand made Ronnie's heart race.

Danielle's head pounded with every word. Could the time finally have come? After all the pain, the loneliness, after all the rejection, was all this actually possible? Acceptance from Ronnie Mitchell, the person she had been trying to impress for almost a year. Another chance, where the rejection and pain were replaced by love and approbation? Could it be that the unwanted from last night was now worth so much? If Ronnie could rewind the events of last night, or even go further than that, Danielle was quite convinced she would have done so in a flash. "Wow. If that's how you feel…" There was a lot to think about and Danielle wished her brain would let her do just that. It was an amusing concept; however hard Danielle tried to think of reasons to leave Ronnie, the ticklish feelings from her right hand forced her to smile. The events from last night were fresh, but when the dream starts chasing you, the whole world could be upside down and it just wouldn't matter. "What would you say if I told you I wanted to go collect my stuff from that B&B and maybe give London another go?" She couldn't help but look at Ronnie's eyes. The fact that Ronnie was more than capable of turning and jumping down Danielle's throat seemed so preposterous, even though Danielle of all people should have known just how easily the scene could have played out. Even in last night's clothes, without any make-up and hair tied somewhat neatly into a pony-tale, Ronnie looked as magnificent as always. But just then, her eyes held something more, the certain glow Danielle had been in search for since as long as she could remember. The little things, the soft stares, the gentle but playful hand signalled vast amounts of love radiating from Ronnie. At that moment she saw the greatest similarity between the Ronnie sat opposite her and the Ronnie in the locket, the face which had convinced her London was the best move to enhance her life experience.

Ronnie's heart was beating faster than was probably considered healthy, but the missing parts of her life had just thrillingly flown into place. All she could do was smile. "I'd say lead the way."

Danielle let out a breath she had been holding for way too long. Tears of happiness fell from her eyes as Ronnie signalled they should leave.

As they entered the cool breeze, Danielle turned to Ronnie every so often, just to make sure that smile was still on her face, that the sparkle in her eye which had so indubitably reassured Danielle hadn't vanished. If it ever did, Danielle had no idea how she would ever manage to rebuild her life, to get over the destruction it would bring.

"You know I just spent nearly fifty quid to get here and now I'm gonna pay fifty more to get back." She giggled, wanting to make as much conversation with Ronnie as possible. She wanted to prove she was worth the trouble, that Danielle Jones could be good company. Although her statement was true, Danielle was certain that the Walford she was returning to was going to be much different to how she'd left it. Ronnie knew the truth; everything Archie had said had totally contradicted what Ronnie felt. How much more could she ask from the woman to prove this point? Her eyes had spoken an infinite amount of words and Danielle knew turning her back on Ronnie right now was unimaginable.

Ronnie didn't want to think about the past. She and Danielle were about the future. "Don't worry, I'll sort all that out."

Danielle giggled, Ronnie the responsible mother? Fabulous! "You do know it's a four hour journey if we end up changing at Wolverhampton?" Being in the same little box for all this time would surely give the two a vast amount of time to talk. "Oh Ronnie!" Danielle suddenly stopped walking. "What 'bout your bike?"

Ronnie smiled. Bike? What bike? Things like these seemed so insignificant right now. She had her baby right by her side, what could be more important? "What? Oh don't worry about that!" Ronnie brushed the topic off without much thought as she linked arms with Danielle once again and attempted to start moving.

Ronnie's momentum towards the bad and breakfast was stalled by a immobile Danielle. "What? Wouldn't you prefer to ride it back? It's gonna be a nightmare to get it back to London…"

Ronnie smiled whilst gently tugging on Danielle's arm. At this moment in time, Ronnie Mitchell felt like a little girl desperate to get to her favourite toy shop whilst Danielle tried to slow her down. "No no Danielle," Ronnie reassured, shaking her head in an attempt to stomp the girl's worries. "Come on, we'll get the train back, forget the bike, it'll get sorted."

Danielle slowly complied. It was Ronnie's bike after all, and anyway, spending some quality, undisturbed time with Ronnie was something Danielle felt would do wonders to the new chapter of their life.

"Listen, we are going to grab your stuff, get back to Walford and begin our lives together. I can't thank you enough…"

***

It cost a little over £120 for Ronnie, Danielle and her luggage to be transported back to London. That was with Danielle's discounted price because she had a rail card. Ronnie just couldn't stop smiling. What was money anyway? The extra twelve pounds had meant there would be no 'pit-stop' at Wolverhampton. The sooner Ronnie got Danielle back where she belonged, the better.

Boarding the train barely five minutes before it was due to leave, Ronnie and Danielle awkwardly moved through the narrow aisle. Danielle was relieved she hadn't tripped over. With one hand on her heavy bag and the other consumed by Ronnie, keeping her balance had proved to be a tedious job. Ronnie had stubbornly kept hold of her baby's hand. There was so much danger all around them and the thought of Danielle slipping away was not worth thinking about.

"Here" Ronnie sighed whilst sweeping her fringe away from her eyes. They were to be sat towards the back of the train where the gap between the people in front was greater. "It's gonna be me and you from now on Dan. Our new life…"

Danielle nodded. All this was so unbelievable. "Ronnie, you've said that like three times now."

The new mother nodded, knowing that it was all true but just wanting to make sure. "We're gonna have so much fun. I'm going to be the mum I've always wanted to be. Come here…" She took Danielle's head and brought it to her chest. She was so warm and cuddly; Ronnie wanted nothing more than for her girl to stay like that for all of eternity.

Danielle inhaled Ronnie's sweet perfume which still strongly lingered on her clothes. The past was becoming quite easy to forget when all she could feel was love surrounding her. But Danielle knew she would not let herself be hurt ever again. Ronnie defiantly had a lot of making up to do and yet, here she was.

**A/N: Well Sorry for the realllllly late update. I know this was really quite rubbish. I wish I'd put a bit more thought into it but most my attentions with my other fic at the moment, really wanting to get it going now..**


	8. Chapter 8

Is anyone still interested in this and if so, any particular themes they'd like to see come into it? I hope I'm still welcome onto the R&D scene. So many new writers have come and blown the bar straight through the roof I'm a little reluctant. 'How characters of the square….' is really hard to find time for and it's so frustrating 'coz I have MEGA ideas which haven't been written by any one else.

I also have three one shots/short stories that I've been writing and of course am thinking of where to take this. I don't want it to turn into the relationship that's developing in 'How characters of the square react to Danielle'

Its obvious that after a year of this storyline passing, interest in stories involving Danielle is going to be scarce so I thought I'd post this little message first. Io seriously don't know what other story line I could write about especially considering I haven't watched EastEnders for the past 9 months (apart from the live epi ;-) ).

Thanks guys


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